Zuma promotes racial divisions and fuels racial hatred with land

2016-01-09

Dr Pieter Groenewald

“President Zuma promotes racial divisions and fuels racial hatred with his comments that land is the cause of poverty, inequality and unemployment and that the land in South Africa was stolen. With these remarks Zuma targets whites in South Africa as if they are the cause of poverty, inequality and unemployment. It is also often said in Parliament that ‘whites had stolen the land’. This fuels racial hatred and the Freedom Front Plus will be submitting a complaint to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to investigate Zuma,” Dr. Pieter Groenewald, parliamentary spokesperson on land affairs for the Freedom Front Plus said.

“The fact that Zuma had made this comment in Rustenburg in the presence of traditional leaders makes the situation worse when the consequences of the comments made by the Zulu King regarding foreigners in South Africa, are kept in mind. It is also clear that Zuma is trying to trump the EFF on the land issue which quickly inflames emotions and tempers.

“With regards to land the opposite is actually true. Land requires hard work and expertise to cultivate it and to ensure production. The mere ownership of land will not suddenly eradicate poverty, inequality and unemployment. Zuma and the ANC do not know how to address poverty and unemployment and whites are now being blamed for it in an irresponsible and emotional manner. It is a dangerous recipe which creates racial conflict,” Dr. Groenewald said.